As Israel entered its fourth week of war against Hamas terrorists, the Israeli military expanded its ground invasion into Gaza.
On Saturday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference, calling the war the "fight of our life" after Hamas killed more than 1,400 Israelis.
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Netanyahu framed the conflict as a second war for Israel's independence, saying the Israeli people have no choice but to "survive or die." "We destroyed our enemy from the air, and we paved the way for our ground forces to go inside Gaza," Netanyahu said after Israel expanded its ground operations, sending soldiers and tanks into the Gaza Strip overnight into Saturday. The prime minister said the fighting has now entered a second stage of a war to destroy Hamas and bring some 230 hostages home safely. "This is our second independence war. We will fight on land, air, and from the sea. We will fight on the ground and under the ground. In this war, we stand together – this is the fight of our life."
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
"This situation must be reversed," he said Saturday. "This is the moment of truth. Everyone must assume their responsibilities. History will judge us all."
He also demanded for all hostages to be released and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the 2.3 million people living in the Palestinian territory.
Guterres warned that the ongoing war will have a devastating impact on the country, including a communication blackout.
Hamas is holding innocent people, including babies, children, women, and elderly citizens hostage. Netanyahu promised the country would "exhaust every possibility" to rescue the people.
"I must tell you before we go into a little more detail about the degree of disability that this effort not only has not stopped, it continues, and it continues even more intensely. We will implement and exhaust every possibility to bring them home," Netanyahu said. "An effort is underway; I'm not sure people understand how much it is being conducted and to what extent, including instructions to forces on the ground and on a very large scale both globally and locally – and it continues all the time."